Star Traders: Frontiers Update #131: Highlands

[fallen]

Update #131 lands with a blast of a new art, even more improvements to the enemy ship builder, a new Trait Conditioning service for Chaesin Doctors and Researchers (new!) and a ton of balance improvements and bug fixes. A huge thanks to everyone sharing the game, posting feedback and helping us improve!

In the art department, we've got 2 new environmental landing zones, a new wilderness jungle and a new urban image for some of the largest urban worlds. We've also added 3 new character faces.

We've also buffed the Navigator's Fast Getaway Talent, made Radiation Storms and other Rumors more impactful in orbital operations and given more teeth to the damage caused to crew during any card game.

Chaesin Trait Conditioning

The Chaesin Doctors are the oldest medical tradition of the Star Traders, hailing back to well before the Exodus and the Guild. While the Gestalt Technologists offer Trait Conditioning through their vats and other secretive techniques, the Chaesin now offer their own similar but different service through holistic techniques, synthesized compounds and reconditioning training.

Chaesin Trait Conditioning can remove Addictive Tick, Crippled, Flashbacks, Frail, Hypochondriac, Hyperwarp Sickness, Paranoid, Stormshock or Weak System Traits -- a set with some overlap to the Gestalt list but also more of a focus on psychological Traits.

We have also added a new Contact Type to help proliferate more Chaesin into the galaxy. The Chaesin Research offer Doctor Missions, buys Intel, Recruits Combat Medics, Trait Conditioning, Discounts Medical Services, may offer Black Market based on Traits such as Greedy, Corrupt, Underworld.

Enemy AI Ship Builder

We're continuing to put more pressure on the enemy ship builder routines, increasing their intelligence and ability to coordinate upgrades across a ship in prep for the Fighters/Carriers future milestone. In this update, we've once again increased the total number of upgrade paths for an enemy to consider, specifically by helping the ship builder do better with crew and officer accommodations and mass modulators components. Also, for those military focused ship types, they have improved their ability to ensure they upgrade their Weapon Lockers appropriately.

New Character Faces

We've added 3 new character faces with this update. We're excited to now have reached the 40 faces mark for female characters and will keep marching toward our goal of doubling the original 30. A similar wave of revisions and additions is coming for the male characters but there is some more work to do to prepare for that.

v2.4.71 - 1/31/2018

- Added 3 new female character faces
- Added 2 new landing zone art boards, jungle wilderness and unique art for Alta Mesa and De Valtos Prime
- Improved enemy ship builder AI -- increased upgrade paths, better upgrade planning for crew and officer accommodations, mass modulators, military deployment of higher level Weapons Lockers
- Chaesin Doctors and Researchers now offer their own type of Trait Reconditioning to remove bad Traits, Gestalt are no longer the only game in town
- Chaesin conditioning can remove Addictive Tick, Crippled, Flashbacks, Frail, Hypochondriac, Hyperwarp Sickness, Paranoid, Stormshock or Weak System Traits
- Added new Contact Type "Chaesin Researcher" -- recruits Combat Medics, offers Trait Reconditioning, Buys Intel, Discounts Medical Services, may offer Black Market based on Traits such as Greedy, Corrupt, Underworld
- Smuggler Contact Type now offers discount on Spice at the hall and can now offer Permit grade 1
- Salvage Broker Contact Type will only offer Black Market based on Traits such as Greedy, Corrupt, Underworld
- Void Engine Safety Rating now displayed in main ship status, dry dock and starport with helpful tooltip
- Radiation Storms and other Quadrant-wide Rumors have more impact on all Orbital Ops (Spy, Blockade, Patrol, Salvage)
- Buffed Hyperwarp Navigator's "Fast Getaway" Talent to include a +5% Shield increase
- Fixed issue with Orbital Salvage positive Trait cards adding negative Trait (Xenophobic)
- Corsair's Scan Talent no longer removes Tribute option from Ship Encounters
- Fixed rare bug that could prevent you from repairing your ship's Scout Bridge
- Fixed issue where damage dealt by results of Exploring, Orbital Ops was less than shown
- Fixed bug where negative or positive Rep could be shown while Exploring Indie wilderness zones
- Fixed possible text overlays on Talent screen